Haiti To Host Inaugural Festival Mizik Jakmel

Most music-lovers look only as far as the U.S. and Europe when planning their summer festival itinerary, but this year our island neighbors down south urge you to reconsider.

Haiti's first-ever Festival Mizik Jakmel will take place May 25-27 in the exotic cultural center of Jacmel, which overlooks the Caribbean Sea. More than 25 hip-hop, reggae, R&B, jazz and blues artists from all over the globe will play the three-day fest, including headliners Stephen and Damian "Junior Gong" Marley.

In a unique twist on the concept of audience participation, anyone with a drum is invited to join in what the festival hopes will become history's largest drumming ensemble, breaking last year's record of 7,951 people continuously drumming for five minutes in India.

Portions of the festival's proceeds will go to local non-profit organizations in Haiti, including a foundation for street children and a center for the handicapped.

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